Torpedo



Jufiy 30, 1946. N. M. HOPKINS TORPEDO 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Jan. 2Q, 1942 ma n-1m MM L n Vania? July 3, 196. N. MpHOPKlNS TORPEDO Original Filed Jan. '20,

4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jmfiy 3, 14. N. M. HOPKINS TORPEDO 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed Jan. 20

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TORPEDO Original Filed Jan. 20, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Emma, 254212 Patented July 30, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TORPEDO Substituted for abandoned application Serial No.

427,406, January 20, 1942.

This application September 15, 1944, Serial No. 554,281

3 Claims.

This invention relates to torpedoes in general and more specifically to those of the marine class which are dirigible and/or radio controlled.

It is a particular object of this invention to combine cooperatively a more powerful war-head with the body and mechanism of a marine torpedo, said war-head comprising a construction which is especially fashioned for mixing normally separated liquid components of a superior liquid high explosive (substantially 40 percent more powerful than trinitrotoluene, volume for volume) said mixing being accomplished through the agency of a part of the propelling power and a part of the mechanism of the torpedo.

It is also an object of this invention to provide indication, exterior of the war-head of the torpedo, when the mixing of the liquid components of the liquid high explosive has been accomplished.

It is also a particular object of this invention to secure and maintain a high order of non-interference from radio signals extraneous to the designed control signals.

It is also a particular object of this invention to provide automatically erectable tubular antenna for the dual purpose of receiving the designed radio control of the torpedo after its release or launching, and of ejecting visible chemical substances by day or luminous flames by night.

It is also an object of this invention to produce a much larger and more powerful torpedo than heretofore in use, by utilizing a nested construction comprising a plurality of the present designs and sizes of standardized compressed air flasks when the torpedo is driven by this type of power plant, said heating providing an axially disposed passageway through which a rotatable shaft may pass, for operatin certain mechanism in the war-head.

It is also an important object of this invention to modify the construction of one of the present standardized compressed air flasks when necessary, as in the case of a smaller model of my new torpedo, in order to provide a centrally disposed passageway therethrough for a suitable rotatable shaft for operating purposes in the warhead.

It is also an object of this invention to provide ways and means of securing a metacentric height or of balancing the hull and body of the torpedo so as to maintain stability of the torpedo in the sea after erection of the combined radio antenna and ducts for chemical substances.

Thi invention so far as the new war-head is concerned for the liquid explosive is a more or less continuation of my eariler work with liquid nitrogen tetra-oxide and one or more liquid hydrocarbons, as exemplified by my several previously filed patent applications.

With the foregoing enumerated objects in view, as well as other objects which will become apparent as the description proceeds and the drawings are studied, the invention resides in the novel details of construction, combinations and principles of parts, Ways, means and methods, all as hereinafter set forth and particularly covered by the claims.

This application constitutes a substitute for my abandoned, application for Letters Patent of the United States filed January 20, 1942, under the Serial No. 427,406 and entitled Torpedoes.

Referring to the accompanying illustrations forming a part of this application and in which like numerals designate like partse in all the views,

Fig. 1 is a front view of a four-motored aeroplane with one of my torpedoes suspended therefrom;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the parts illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view partly in section of the support for the tubular antenna mast;

Fig. 4 is a View of a portion of the torpedo 80 hull with the antenna mast positioned thereon;

Fig. 5 illustrates a torpedo, constructed in accordance with this invention, submerged in the water of the ea with the antenna mast erected for use;

Fig. 6 illustrates the torpedo shown in Fig. 5 with its antenna mast lowered or folded, as when the torpedo is ready for suspension under an aeroplane;

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view of one design of torpedo, taken at or near the antenna mounting, and showing one arrangement of air flasks;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to that illustrated in mg. 7 but illustrating a different arrangement and type of nested air flasks;

Fig. 9 is an end view, with a portion broken away to show the interior construction of a compressed air flask made in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 10 is a longitudinal sectional view of the compressed air flask shown in Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a longitudinal sectional view of a torpedo made in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 12 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional 3 7 view of the forward end of the torpedo shown in Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is a transverse sectional view through the war-head'of the torpedo shown in Fig. 12, said view taken as on the line l3-I3 of said figure and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 14 is a transverse sectional view through one portion of the body of one of my torpedoesi Fig. 15 is a transverse sectional view through 10 another portion of the bodyof one of my torpedoes;

Fig. 16 is a transverse sectional view through still another portion of the body of one of my torpedoes;

Fig. 17 is a diagrammatic cross. sectional View of one of my torpedoes immersed in the water of the sea; 7

Fig. 18 is a partial longitudinal sectional view through a portion of the body of one of mytor- 20 pedoes immersed in the Water or" the sea;' and Fig. 19 is a greatly enlarged cross sectional view through the body of one of my torpedoes immersed in the water of the sea. j' A In the drawings the numeral 262 designates the forward or war-head end of one of my new tor- 'pedoes 25' which may be of the standard 21 inch diameter class, or of greater or lesser diameter, depending upon the amount of devastation desired, from the complete wrecking of a Vessel '30 of the destroyer type, to the complete Wrecking of the mightiest battleship afloat or projected in any naval construction program. The numeral 2! represents the safety impeller member of the torpedo, which member is common to most types of naval torpedoes, and 22 indicatesthe fuselage of an aeroplane. The torpedo may be suspended in securement by metal straps. or eyes and bolts with wire pulls for the bolts, not shown, but either system of securement isfashioned to be released by the pilot. of a plane at will.

The torpedo is provided with a steering rudder 23, for control of the torpedo as between"port and starboard movement, and aquaplanes 2d and i5 25 for depth. control of the torpedo, said aquaplanes actuated by such devices as pendulums and/or gyroscopes, or certain hydrostatic gear or the like. The propellers are indicated at 2 7i and 27, one propeller adapted to be driven with clockwise revolution, and the other propeller adapted to be driven with counter-clockwise revolution, one propeller shaft 28 being disposed within the other propeller shaft. This inner propeller shaft, as will appear hereinafter, is adapted to serve the auxiliary purpose of opening the inner chamber of the new war-head and in inducing the circulation and admixture of the liquid component parts of the liquid high explosive of my new torpedo.

An antenna mast, generally identified by the numeral 180, is provided externally of the torpedo, and comprises a streamlined casing member 36 enclosing a tubular member 3! electrically insulated by the hard rubber or other suitable insulating tube 32, the whole tubular system being enclosed within and fortified by the tube 33 having the eye members 34, 35 and 3S fashioned to receive respectively the guy wires-31 and 33, and the mast erecting wire or cable 4t (see particularly Figs. 3 and e). These guy wires and erection cables may consist of twisted or braided phosphor-bronze elements, or may be formed of other suitable metal or alloy not corroded unduly by sea water. I may, of course, elect to wax or otherwise protect these Wires or stranded cables, or to use such braided wires as those fashioned from Monel metal. The support for said mast may comprise'fthelaterally disposed members ll and 42 attached to theheavy plate base member 43 fashioned to be securely riveted to the outer shell of the torpedo 20' through the agency of the rivets 4 3, 45, etc. The guy wires (Hand 38 are attached at one end to the welded eyes 46 and 47 respectively on the torpedo hull,

' and at their other end to the streamlined member 30 which is rotatably mounted in the support members ll and 42 through the agency of the hollow trunnions or ducts =38 and 49; the dotted circles 59 and 5| indicate the downward extent or run of these hollow ducts, respectively, to and into the interior of the torpedo shell. The circular dotted lines 52 and 53 represent similar ducts for additional chemicals and/or additional closed within the streamlined member 30.

In Figs. 5 and 6 there is shown a somewhat different design of pivoted base for the streamlined casing 33 and radio antenna 500, which streamlined casing or mast is shown pulled into the vertical, or erect position by the braided wire cable 49 which passes around the little grooved wheel 54 supported in the bracket 55 through the agency of the shaft 56, said cable 40 descending through a hole in theItorpedo shell which may or may not be packed through the agency of a stuffing box, not sliown,.to prevent the ingress of water into the shell. Since the compressed air flasks whichI elect to nest Within the torpedo shell carry the compressed air pressure independent of said shell, it is not a major matter of importance Whether I elect to allow the necessarily limited quantity of seawater to enter said shell or not. on the inner side of the. sh'el'l casing'iil is mounted alsmal] grooved pulley 57 around which the stranded radio antennae, if necessary or desirable, all en- 'wire cable A0 passes, the end of said cable being attached to the eye 58 of the piston 59 operable in the pneumatic cylinder 66 through stuffing box construction not shown.

Since in the class of torpedoes using compressed air in steel fiacks it is common to provide pressures. of 4000 pounds to thefsquare inch and over, it will readily be appreciated that more than ample power is at-hand for raising or erecting the mast, comprising the radio antenna and ejection ducts, by a suitable system of simple valve casing 64. Thus it will be seen that provision is made for erecting the antenna mast to a vertical position with its upper end above the surface of the sea water, as well as supplying a stream of visible clud or flame substance for emission from the upper end of said mast.

.Titanium' tetrachloride, ejected under a pressure of several hundred or several thousand pounds to the square inch, if need be, is Suggested fordaytime visual purposes. Titanium tetrachloride, it may be pointed out, is one of the dense white cloud-forming compounds which are used in sky-Writing when discharged from airplanes. I may also pointout. that such a compound furnishes ways and means of providing a guiding mark which is incapable of being shot away should the torpedo be seen by the gunners of a battleship at which the torpedo is directed. After dark a stream of acetylene gas could likewise be ejected vertically with or without auxiliary air supply to support its combustion, said stream of acetylene gas passing between platinum electrodes, for example, which may be insulated from each other and connected to the terminals of a continuously operating heavy-duty induction coil. I have naturally not attempted in this small and limited illustration to lay out all of the parts and connections of parts of such a system but it is contended that those skilled in such arts will well be able to carryout my teachings here from the suggestive illustrations in conjunction with this description.

With a continuous electrical discharge at the point of egress of acetylene gas the brilliant white flame characteristic of burning acetylene could not be extinguished for more than a few seconds by any wave or heavy spray of water since re-kindling would quickly follow quenching.

In Fig. 6 are shown the erectable tubular antenna equipment, both fore and aft sets, in folded or stowed horizontal position, the piston or valve stem and the stop member associated with the valve 64 being illustrated in the up position, in which position of the valve stem no compressed air from a compressed air flask may enter the pneumatic cylinder 60, the details of connectlons not being shown.

It will now be apparent to mechanical experts that the form and position of the member 6| over which the woven wire cable 48 passes, provides a suitable lifting pull of the said cable to pull the erectable tubular antenna into the vertical position against the combination stop and valve stem 62, When the valve which it controls allows compressed air to enter the cylinder 60.

Coming now to Figs. 7 and 8, the outer shell or body of the torpedo 20' is shown in transverse section, with a plurality of compressed air flasks indicated at 10, and a lead ballast at H to prevent the torpedo from rolling over when the tubular radio antenna is in erected position. It may be pointed out here in justice to the general design that this lead ballast need not be as voluminous or heavy as would be supposed upon a cursory inspection of the design because the radio antennae are tubular, and constructed of light weight material such as aluminum wherefore they possess considerable buoyancy particularly when submerged in the water of the sea.

The pneumatic cylinder 60 is shown in these two figures in end elevation, economically positioned between two compressed air flasks Hi, and the small cylinders indicated at B are containers for the titanium tetrachloride, and acetylene, respectively, and they are in valvedcommunication as heretofore stated with the ducts 50 and leading to the antenna mast. The numeral 8| indicates the outer hollow shaft for one of the propellers of the torpedo designed for counterclockwise rotation, the inner shaft 28 being for the other one of the two propellers of the torpedo designed for clockwise rotation, an extension from which operates the inner chamber mechanism of the new torpedo war-head a will be hereinafter described.

Whereas in Fig. 7 three relatively large flasks are shown for the compressed air, in Fig. 8 a different number, a size and arrangement of flasks 90 is indicated. Obviously these flasks may contain liquid or gaseous fuel in the event that the torpedo is to be operated by mechanical means other than and instead of compressed air, details of which means would be out of place here, but suffice it to say that they are well in hand by the applicant with the object of designing his new torpedo to cooperate therewith.

In connection with these air flasks, attention is directed to Figs. 9 and 10, in which a modified form is shown. In other words, in these two views are respectively shown an end view and a longitudinal section of a standardized 21-inch compressed air flask as used in 21-inch naval flsh torpedoes, when the air flask itself is intended to form the central body portion of the torpedo.

Here 9! represents a design of hollow stay-bolt passing from end to end of the shell 92 of the flask and terminating in welded end pieces 93 and 93'. This elaboration of a standardized fish torpedo air flask is to provide a passageway axially of the flask for at least one of the propeller shafts of a 21-inch naval torpedo for my new war-head operating purposes.

In Figs. 11 and 12 are shown in longitudinal section, and in Fig. 13 is shown in transverse section, more of the detailed construction of my torpedo. The numeral 2| indicates the conventional safety impellor for unscrewing the shield member of a standard detonation plunger during the transit of the torpedo through the water of the sea, the conventional detonator casing bein shown inside of the war-head 20. A cylindrical chamber I08 is supported axially of the torpedo, in spaced relation to the hull or shell thereof, by the plates lill and H12, which plates are provided with a plurality of openings indicated respectively at I03 and N14 for the free passage of a liquid from one side of the plate members to the other. As seen in Fig. 12, the right hand end of the cylinder I is provided with an inturned flange I05 fashioned to receive with a liquid-tight fit the circular cover or closure member I86 provided centrally with an internally threaded boss it? (threads not shown), said cover fashioned to be moved axially of the cylinder through the agency of the long screw or threaded shaft H38 passing centrally through said cylinder. One end of said threaded shaft enters the internally threaded boss I09 formed on the circular cover plate or closure H0 for the other end of said cylinder, said cover plate equipped with the flange Hi fashioned to make a liquid-tight fit with the cylindrical chamber at H2. This cover plate is equipped with an opening H3 and screw closing plug I 14, by means of which the cylindrical chamber may be filled when the two cover plates are in chamber-closing positions. Adjacent to an end of said cylindrical chamber, the threaded shaft N18 has keyed thereto the impeller H5 and an unthreaded extension of the said shaft passes through the stufling box i I6 and is keyed within the coupling collar H1, said collar also being keyed to the extension of the propeller shaft 28, whereby both shafts are coupled in xial alignment.

The cylindrical chamber 1 89 is filled with liquid nitrogen tetraoxide indicated by the heavy dashed lines 568, and the space around said chamber within the war-head end o-f the torpedo is filled with a combustible liquid comprising one or more liquid hydrocarbons, as indicated by the thin dashed lines 600. The war-head is provided with a bulkhead closure I02 supporting the stufling box H6 and spaced from an end of the chamber I00 so as to freely accommodate the impeller I I 5.

The liquid nitrogen tetraoxid'e does. not have to be a specially prepared anhydrous product; but may be a good grade of commercial product, and the material of the inner chamber as well as: that of the closure members IGB and H0, together with the screw 38, may be of aluminum, iron or steel, since commercial nitrogen tetraoxide does not act on these metals. l

The liquid 6H9 shown: in thin dotted lines may be benzol, nitrationgrade, for example,- or it may comprise a mixture of benzol. and. a; measured quantity of normal butane or isobutane, the nor mal butane or isobutane being added to the benzol in sufiiclcnt quantity to create a mixture of ben zol' and normal or isobutane, which mixture will have a vapor pressure equal to or greater than the vapor pressure of the nitrogen: tetraoxide. With such a scientific system so adjusted, the applicant is enabledto fashion a leakproof inner chamber for the torpedo war-head.

The numeral it indicates the compressed air iiask's, and'the numerals. -29, I2], I22, I23 and lid indicate diagrammatically housings for such equipment and apparatus as water chambers, pendulums and hydrovalves, fuel containers, generators, reducing valves, engines, gyroscopes with setting gears, steering and aquaplane motors, radio reception and control equipment, including electrical batteries, and all the other necessary and well understood mechanisms too numerous I and complex to illustrate in such a small and gen eral. type of drawings. It is to be" distinctly understood,however, that all of. these diagrammatically indicated instrumentalities are suitably fashioned so as to permit the extension and passage of the propeller shaft 28- from the steering end of the torpedo to the war-head.

Fig. 12. being of larger scale than Fig. 11, permits the illustration of constructional details such as, for example, the conical seat I49 fashioned on the closure memberilbb to receive with a ground and/or liquid-tight fit the conical end. Ml of the hub hi2 keyed to the shaft 28* and. carrying the impeller H5 oppositefthe now open. end M3 of the cylindrical inner chamber lilii. The circular cover member I56 1 provided with a groove or rabbet i l i about its periphery fashioned to sealingly interfit or lock with the end flange H35. In. addition to my scientific system of creating an equal vapor pressure and, consequently, an

equal hydrostatic pressure. of my liquid combustible body to my liquid oxidant, I may also use certain sealing compounds unacted upon by the liquids employed.

It is desired to emphasize that the inner. closed chamber Hid is completely surrounded by'the liquid hydrocarbon mixture 598, thereby creating. a scientific structure with leak-proof characteristics resulting. in the relationship of vapor pressures heretofore pointed. out.

To meet the possible requirements of official inspection, I have devised a method with. ways and means for indicating exteriorly of the warhead not only the perfect isolation of the liquid nitrogen textraoxide from the liquid combustible fluid, but the fact that they have been mixed upon proper revolution of the shaft member 23'. To this end the bulkhead I02 is provided with a plug member H4 constituting an insulated bushing carrying a zinc electrode H6 (for example), and a copper or hard carbon electrode H? (for example), connected to the electrical indicator H8, said indicator being fitted with platinum controls, auxiliary circuit, battery and hell if desired. for giving a visual and/or an audiblelsign'al when, as, and if a mixture takesv place between the liquid nitrogen textraoxide and the liquid combustible fluid. Whereas liquid nitrogen tetraoxide does not attack aluminum, iron or steel, it does attack zinc and copper and therefore, with the use of said zinc and copper! electrodes, it acts as an electrolyte or battery fluid therewith, setting up or generating an E; M. R and, consequently, an electrical currentthrough the indicator H8 and/or operating, said. signal,

It will be noted that the semi-spherical headpiece Zl) of the war-head is attached to the shell of'the torpedo through. the agency of the internal band. or ring I50 riveted thereto by means of the rivets I5I' and I52.

From the foregoing description it will be understood that the inner chamber will be filled with liquid nitrogen tetraoxide'with the closure members I96 and twin. place, and then the liquid hydrocarbon will be poured into the space in the war-head around said inner chamber so thatthe chamber will be substantially surrounded by said hydrocarbon, after whichthe war-head is sealed. In this condition the warhead is a safe instrumentality since each liquid, though itself a component part of a liquid explosive, is nevertheless independently incapable of explosion, it being necessary to admix the two normally separated liquids in order to establish the liquid explosive. Such admixture is brought about after launching of the torpedo, i'. e. when it is in transit toward the target.v

That is to say, after the torpedo is launched mechanism will be put into operation whereby the shaft 28 will be rotated to drive the torpedo forward to its target, and this rotation will be transmitted through the coupling H1 simultaneously' to the shaft "38 extending through said chamber I00. Rotation of the shaft [E28, through its lengthwise threading, will cause the closure plate M0 to be unthreaded therefrom thus opening the forward end' of said chamber, with concurrent unseating of the other closure plate 66 from the opposite end of said chamber and the crew-like movement of said plate lengthwise of the chamber and shaft to final disengagement with the latter and its fall from said chamber into the semi-spherical nose 20 of the war-head, thereby causing both ends of said chamber to be completely open.

The rotating shaft I68 causes actuation or the impeller H5 and, after the chamber H16 is com pletely opened, the actuation of said impeller sets up an admixing circuit of the two liquids from the chamber through the war-head nose cavity, through the perforated spacing ring Iill to and through the region between the chamber and the torpedo shell, thence through the other perforated spacing ring I02 to and into the said chamber for' recirculation as just described. This recirculation accomplishes the admixture of the two liquid components and creates the desired highly sensitive and powerful liquid explosi've which is detonated b-y impact of the warhead with the target as well understood.

Fig. 1.4 is provided to illustrate how a pendulum I00 may be suspended centrally within the torpedo casing by means of a wrist-pin device, without interference with the control propeller shaft 28, by virtue of the opening H5 for said shaft through the suspension bar of the pendulum; In this figure of drawings: there is dditionally shown at I03 a section through the flywheel of agyroscope, and at'lnflf a part of the torpedo power plant, the nested air flasks being indicated at 10.

Figs. 15 and 16 are provided to indicate respectively the employment of possible auxiliary compressed air flacks 10' in order to utilize unoccupied space between the larger nested air flasks I0, and the possible location of an electric motor I provided with a bevelled pinion I06 fash ioned to slowly and powerfully revolve the bevelled gear I01 operating the rudder shaft In Figs. 17, 18 and 19 are illustrated more or less diagrammatically certain electrical equipment and circuits incident to my torpedo and its operation, but much of such equipment and some of the circuits are or may be of standard con- Struction and usage, readily comprehendable'by those skilled in the art, wherefore simple references will be made to the illustrated constructions. In Fig. 1'7, 90' represents a radio ground, and BI a complete and suitable radio'reception equipment with power amplifiers to operating motors.

According to the showing in Fig. 18 there is provided, between the radio antenna 100 and the electrical" ground 90', the antenna tuner H0 (if said antenna tuner is used), the radio frequency amplifier I I I, the detector H2, the audio frequency amplifier H3, and the solenoid H4 comprising convolutions or windings of insulated magnet wire, the said solenoid being associated with the permanent steel horseshoe magnet whose north and south poles are marked N and S, respectively. The flexible vibrating strip H0 may be of steel or Invar (the latter being a magnetic alloy with a practically zero coefiicient of expansion with changes of temperature) and comprises a tongue projection member I I1 extending into saidL solenoid. In one construction, an end of the vibrating steel strip, or Invar strip is supported by a magnetized mass H8 of permanent magnet steel, and provided with a tungsten contact H9 adapted to engage a companion tung sten contact contact I20", the latter supported on a flexible steel vibrating member IZI' held firmly at its lower end by a metal block I22, said block electrically connected through the symbolically represented and suitable electric battery to the relay I23 for throwing into action the powerful storage battery I24 also illustrated symbolically, which storage battery operates an electric motor I25 which may be for steering, for elevating and depressing aquaplanes, and/or for other desired operating controls.

It-is understood, of course, that all the foregoing is necessarily purely suggestive, the precise design of apparatus including the best form and construction of the radio receiver, polarized vibrating strip of steel, or Invar, etc., etc., being the subject matter for intensive design.

It is believed, however, that this constitutes a suflicient disclosure toradio engineers and allied technicians (those skilled in this art) to enable them to put the various principles and parts into practice, using a plurality of such radio responsive systems (as above outlined) for securing selective or non-interference results.

As to the non-interference characteristics of this radio control, it is here pointed out that one element thereof lies in the adjusted resonant circuit of the solenoid H4, and therefore the wave lengths of the radio signal picked up by the antenna I00 is but one factor, and that another factor thereof lies in the period of time during which said radio signal is sustained. If

the vibrating strip I I6 is adjusted through its length, thickness, width and weights of its tongue and contact-making tungsten stud, to be resonant mechanically with the electrical resonance of the solenoid H4, it will begin to vibrate upon the reception by the antenna I00 of a suitable radio signal but will only come to full amplitude in its vibration after a definite period of time, and the electrical contact therefor between the contact studs H9 and I20 (controlling the battery relay I23) will not be made until said strip H6 does come to its full amplitude of vibration.

In Fig. 19 is illustrated a plurality of compound vibrating strips of steel, or Invar, each strip being mechanically adjusted for resonance to the electrical resonance of its respective solenoid. To be more specific, there is illustrated diagrammatically a pair of applicants compounded, substantially interference-proof, radio signal receivers for steering the torpedo, through the energy of the radio signals and the agency of the reversible direct current electric motor I05 upon whose shaft is mounted the bevelled pinion I06 engaging the large bevelled gear I0'I' which turns a rudder post I08.

It will now be evident that, by operating the electric motor clockwise or counter-clockwise respectively, the torpedo may be steered to port or starboard respectively.

With a similar motor and like pair of my compounded and substantially interference-proof radio signal receivers, for elevating and depressing aquaplanes at will, the torpedo may be given depth control, but it is not deemed necessary to illustrate or describe this additional equipment here nor is it deemed necessary to illustrate and describe certain other necessary or desirable radio signal controlled mechanism.

In the present illustrations 800 and 800', respectively, represent substantial storage batteries capable of operating the electric motor with a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction of turn, respectively, as is suggested by the positive and negative signs marked upon the drawings.

The applicant of course, is aware of the fact that to reverse a direct current electric motor, the current to do so must be reversed in flow in either the armature of the motor or the field of the motor but not in both and, therefore, the terminal connections I and 802 within the switch box 803 are stated to be properly connected for motor reversing purposes with reversal of the current in the leads thereto. It is understood, therefore, that in the interest of simplicity of diagram I do not further depict this detail for connections to field or armature since they are well known to engineers.

In the present figures 804, B05, 805, 801 and 803 represent the necessary units including battery power and the like for a complete radio siganl receiving equipment, one lead connected to the insulated antenna 100, and one lead branching out at the common connecting wire 809 to the insulated windings of the six solenoids shown in section as at 8I0, all of said solenoids being connected in multiple, as indicated, to the second common connecting wire 8| I which, in turn, connects with the ground lead wire BIZ and the metal shell of the torpedo in contact with the water of the sea, which is here diagrammatically represented by the ground symbol On the port side BIB, BIG and 8II are steel or Invar vibrators, all of different lengths and all supported rigidly at their lower ends by the heavy metal mechanically and electrically connecting member Bit, and each vibrator is equipped with a tongue member such as 8l'9'fashioned to be attracted by themagnetie fields of their respective solenoids, and 'these vibrators with their consequent individual mechanical frequencies or resonances respectively, are capable as indicated, when they vibrate for a sufficiently long period of time, to reach full amplitude in their vibrations and to make .electrical contacts with their cornpanion yieldable contact makers 622, 323 and 824.

It will now be observed upon inspection that all three of the vibrating strips of steel or Invar 815, M6 and 851, respectively, must come to full amplitude of vibration before they can complete the series connections and, therefore, before the storage battery 860 is connected to the terminals 185! and 832 of the electric motor I05, causing it to rotate onlyas long as the three vibrators operate at full amplitude and thereby hold the electrical circuit closed.

It will, therefore, be evident that, in order to operate the electric motor and consequently the rudder of the torpedo, there must be sent out simultaneously three radio signals at three'rdifier A ent wave lengths suited to the purpose in hand, in order thereby to set up three resonant electrica'l currents in the three port side solenoid such as Bit, amplified operating current therefor coming from the complete equipment indicated by the symbols 3%, 805, 836, 1343?, fi08f In the present system no polarized steel vibrators for permanent steel magnets are illustrated or used, as was indicated in the previous Figure 18. The applicant has operated both types of system with pronounced success, namely with and Without polarized apparatus.

The writer has, furthermore, utilized loud speaker systems of both the power and permanent magnet design for the non-interference control plan (if remotely operating mechanical devices through the agency of the amplified energy of one or more radio signals. There are certain addi tional features which may occur to radio engineers in this connection which applicant has not 1 deemed necessary to describe at the present time since he believes he has made sufiicient disclosure to enable radio and remote control technicians to put this phase of the invention into practice. Furthermore, having described the port side radio signal control in some detail it is not deemed necessary to repeat such description with respect to the starboard side control since the latter is a substantial duplicate of the port side mechanisms and equipment, and it being evident upon inspection of the drawings that all of the vibrators have different lengths, no two on either the port or the starboard side being alike.

Whereas applicant has endeavored to illustrate, this non-interference system in its sim- =3:

plest form, it should b understood that in practice the development would require more complex features, relays with auxiliary batteries between the vibrator contacts and power contacts respectively which may be called, under such circumstances, minor contacts for major contacts for the power storage batteries and th electric motor.

12 It is to be understood, of course, that this new torpedo may be launched and be operated without radio controls being used, as a simple fish torpedo, or it may be controlled from a plane, ship or shore by certain means other than radio and it is believed that a firm foundation has been indicated for a new and superior weapon.

It is also believed that those skilled in radio engineering and in electro-mechanics as well as in certain phases of chemistry and physics may further develop and vary the details of the methods as well as the ways and means involved without departing from the spirit of this invention and, therefore, it is :not desired to be limited .to the exact foregoing illustrations and description except as may be demanded by the claims.

What is claimed is:' v

1. A self-propelled, radio controlled torpedo comprising a war-head, a casing attached there-- to, a source of power, an actuating mechanism within said casing fashioned to utilize said source of power, a radio signal receiving, detecting and amplifying equipment Within said casing, an erectable antenna therefor, said erectable antenna normally positioned horizontally, means f or erecting the .said antenna to a vertical position, and means whereby the energy of an amplified radio signal received bysaid antenna 'may'alter the course of'the-said torpedo.

:2. A self-propelled, radio-controlled torpedo comprising a war-head, a casing attached thereto, a source of power, an actuating mechanism fashioned to draw upon said source of power within said casing, a radio signal receiving, detecting and amplifying equipment, a combination erectable antenna and tubular duct, a valve for said tubular duct, a container for a chemical substance in communication with said valve and tubular duct, a chemical substance under pressure within said chamber, means for erecting said combination antenna and tubular duct to a vertical position, and automatic means for opening the said valve in said tubular duct upon the erection of the said combination antenna and tubular duct.

3. A self-propelled, radio-controlled torpedo comprising a war-head, a casing attached thereto, a source of power and actuating mechanism fashioned to draw upon said source of power withi in said casing, a radio signal receiving, detecting,

and amplifying equipment, a combination erectable antenna and tubular duct, a valve for said tubular duct, a container for a chemical substance in communication with such valve and tubular duct, a chemical substance under pressure within said chamber, means for erecting said combination antenna and tubular duct, means to hold the said erectable antenna and tubular duct in an erect position against the pressure of the water of the sea when the self-propelled torpedo is under way, means to preserve a stable metacentric height of the torpedo upon the erection of said combination'antenna and duct, and automatic means for opening the said .valve in said duct.

NEVIL MONROE HOPKINS. 

